Ontario Benefits Solutions
Group benefits give employers the tools to support their teams with health, dental, and wellness solutions – helping attract talent, boost retention, and promote employee well-being.
Helping Ontario employers build competitive benefits programs
When it comes to group benefits, it can seem like every advisor has a different solution. Many focus on quick savings or short-term wins, but the reality is that lasting value comes from a well-structured, sustainable plan.
Our approach is different and distinctive. Instead of offering a quick fix to your plan costs, we can improve your overall plan structure for consistent and sustainable savings year after year.
Specializing in the small to midsize business* market
We begin with a complimentary analysis that breaks down your claims and identifies the challenges controlling your plan costs. We can show you the trends and patterns your claims produce as well as benchmark these findings against over 400,000+ employees in our collective client database. The ability to compare a variety of programs through our alliance gives us a key advantage over other benefits advisor offerings.
In addition, we continually monitor our rapidly changing industry and offer a suite of solutions for you and your staff. As your plan advisor, we guarantee to identify potential savings for your overall benefits plan.
What benefits plan works best for your company?
Since every company has different needs depending on size, complexity and employee demographics, we are quick to recognize the challenges and create solutions based on the industry’s changing marketplace. Whether we help you design a traditional, flexible, or Unity benefits plan, we take care of the details so you can dedicate your time and resources in the areas that are important to you.
*Industry Canada Definition: A small business is defined as one with fewer than 100 paid employees and a medium-sized business as one with at least 100 and fewer than 500 employees.
Unity Benefits
A superior all-in-one benefits solution for growing and progressive businesses.
After decades of helping thousands of clients adjust their plan designs and advocating on their behalf for better rates and services, we’ve brought together our collective knowledge to construct this modern strategy. Beyond the essential insurance benefits, you also have the ability to enhance your benefit offerings by adding flexible options for a few dollars more per week. That’s why our unique pooled benefits plan is superior to other plans on the market. By creating the most logical solution of pooling funds and creating choice, businesses can access the best rates and options many companies already experience. Unity Benefits is truly an affordable, competitive and sustainable benefits plan tailored to your unique business.
Highlights of Unity Benefits:
- Quick and seamless administration set-up
- Sign up and go (guaranteed issue for all eligible employees)
- Health and Dental premiums as deductible business expenses (a tax-free benefit for your employees)
- Easy to use mobile app and digital claims submissions
- Lower carrier expenses than all other pooled benefit products
- Price stability
Contact us for a brochure, which includes plan design and coverage options.
Ontario benefits consultants: Savings today, sustainability for tomorrow
During benefit consultations, we often hear from our plan administrators that they would like to keep their employees happy while keeping their benefit plans sustainable. That’s no small task since plan variables have changed more in the last two years than in the past 20. So, it is important that we create choice for our clients. Our firm constantly looks for ways to save our clients money and make their plans sustainable.
For example, let’s take a quick look at premiums. Premiums are rates that are determined by the following rate factors:
- Claims experience
- Target loss ratio
- Reserve factors
- Trend factors
- Credibility factors
FACT: No matter what the size a company is all insurers use the same rate calculation formula to determine these renewal rates.
However, some rate factors differ and that is what determines your renewal rate. Even a couple of percentage points difference will unnecessarily cost your company thousands of dollars in additional premiums that you will have to pay.
Let’s look at this another way. The top three factors that impact costs but are the most controllable are: 1) The administration costs your insurance company charges; 2) The benefit coverage you offer employees; and 3) Your annual claims experience in your plan.
If we decide to target the third factor, an employer can make significant cost reduction. However, the challenge is how do you improve the cost efficiency of the claim costs while still providing your employees with full access to the benefit plan?
We have proven solutions of cost-effective programs such as implementing one or more of the following:
- Health / Wellness Spending Accounts
- Retention Accounting
- Administrative Services Only (ASO)
- Cost Plus Pricing
- Employee Assistance Program
- Critical Illness Insurance
Working with a successful benefits advisor comes with some very big advantages, such as:
- Immediate savings from your current provider
- Sustainable, long-term pricing; no bait and switch tactics
- No service interruption from your current plan
- Plan flexibility in plan design and funding arrangements (insured or ASO)
- An experienced consulting team works with you and your employees
Finally, Acera Benefits is part of the largest independent national benchmarking service in Canada. We will compare your current benefit plan, overall compensation and business objectives against other similar-sized businesses with geographic factors included. This knowledge gives us fundamental information about the various corporate cultures, employees, and plans so you know you’re operating on an equal benefits platform.
Why choose Acera Benefits?
At Acera Benefits, we understand that every Ontario business — from small startups to established enterprises — needs a group benefits plan that keeps employees engaged, healthy, and supported. Our team designs, manages, and optimizes benefits programs that protect your workforce while ensuring your investment delivers long-term value.
Independent & Employee Owned
As an independent, employee-owned firm, we’re driven by relationships, not quotas. We put Ontario employers and their teams first, always acting in your best interest to deliver solutions you can trust.
Customized Solutions with Complete Coverage
Your employees are your greatest asset. That’s why we create tailored benefits strategies that provide the right mix of coverage and flexibility. With Acera Benefits, Ontario businesses gain confidence knowing their people are well protected.
A True Extension of Your Business
We work as an extension of your team — simplifying benefits management, keeping costs in check, and aligning your program with your company’s goals. You’ll also benefit from personalized service and direct access to experts who know the Ontario market.
Executive benefits for key employee recruitment and retention
Your key employees are critical to the success of your business. They have dedicated their time and energy over the years to help your business thrive. What are the best ways to retain the vital staff your business depends on? Are you being faced with increased competition for talented executives?
In the past, many business owners attracted, motivated and retained their top talent by offering a combination of salary, incentive bonuses and qualified retirement benefits. Unfortunately, these traditional compensation strategies don’t always work today.
So we’ve come up with complementary incentives to recruit, retain and reward your top talent:
- Fast medical specialist appointments with a Quick Health Access membership
- Tax-effective compensation for owners
- Tax-effective benefit strategies for key employees
- Life insurance for affluent individuals
- Business succession strategies
Business owners are faced with needs, constraints, risks and rewards in keeping top employees happy within an organization. You have worked long and hard to build your company and we want to help you protect it. All of our strategies use products or services developed with Canada’s leading insurance companies and fund providers. We only endorse services that we would purchase for our own team of individuals.
Educate your employees about their benefits plan
Benefits continue to change and often there is a cost increase for many plan sponsors. So, after creating a better plan design for our clients, how do we communicate all the information to members?
Sometimes companies don’t know where to begin. Our solution is to create an employee survey and gather the results either manually or electronically.
We see great value in educating our members about their company’s benefits and the value it provides. Whether it is a plan amendment, or clear information about how to use our unique preferred partner network program, our team is ready to assist your human resource department or correspond on your behalf. Materials can include posters, one-page overviews, presentations, eblasts/enewsletters or video/podcasts.
Also, we recognize that many employees in some companies understand their native language better (i.e. French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Mandarin, etc). We can confidently translate your member communication pages into any language (as requested).
Continuation of benefits
Keep your benefits after retirement or employment termination.
During a period of any type of employment transition, the last thing you want to worry about is losing insurance and benefits for you and your family, especially if there are medical concerns. We find the majority of clients who resign, retire or are dismissed from their place of employment do not realize they have an opportunity to convert some of their insurance without going through medical testing.
You have options to replace your insurance and benefits after job termination. Acera Benefits has developed programs to assist clients during employment transitions quickly and professionally. Replace your insurance and benefits after you leave with the following DYI options:
- You can convert your life insurance policy within 30 days from the day your benefits end – medical evidence free. Contact your insurance provider to learn more about options available.
- You can apply for an individual health, drug and dental benefits plan within 60 days from the day your benefits end – medical evidence free.
- If you are already part of a Critical Illness insurance plan, it is transferable within 31 days from your termination date. If you have a CI benefit with Allstate™, contact them directly about porting your benefit: admin@allstatevoluntary.ca
- A financial advisor is available to help you with retirement, RRSPs and pension. Contact an Acera Benefits advisor.
We realize there is a lot to think about during this transition period, but coordinating any changes are time-sensitive. We recommend to move forward on the options listed above without delay.
Freedom to Choose: Freedom to Choose™ can help fill the gap between your provincial plan coverage and what you pay. Convert within 60 days for guaranteed coverage and no medical exam needed. For more information or to get started, view the Acera Benefits Freedom to Choose page.
Individual benefits solutions for Ontario residents
Whether you’re self-employed, between jobs, or simply looking for additional protection, our individual benefits solutions help you access the coverage you need. From comprehensive health and dental insurance to reliable life insurance, Ontario residents can choose flexible options that fit their lifestyle, budget, and long-term goals. Explore our solutions below to find the right plan for you.
Ontario Health & Dental Insurance
Protect your well-being with flexible health and dental coverage designed for Ontario residents. Get access to affordable care options that support your everyday needs and long-term health.
Ontario Life Insurance
Secure your family’s financial future with customized life insurance solutions. Our Ontario life insurance plans provide peace of mind and protection for the people who matter most.
Connect with one of our benefits advisors in Ontario
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